Chapter 7 - CAMILLE TALKS
Camille asked for mediation.
I almost refused.
Naomi recommended hearing her once.
Neutral office.
Lawyers.
Stellan beside me.
No Celeste.
Camille entered without makeup.
No expensive dress.
No performance.
She looked exhausted.
I did not feel sorry for her.
Not yet.
She began:
“I did not know Mom was going to kick you.”
“I believe that.”
Relief crossed her face.
I continued:
“You still stood over me and said I could have another.”
Her relief disappeared.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She looked down.
“Because I had spent months telling myself your baby was something you had that I needed.”
That was ugly.
Good.
Truth.
“Did you think I agreed to give her to you?”
“At first.”
“Why?”
“Mom said you had talked about carrying for family.”
I stared.
“I made one joke at Thanksgiving.”
Camille closed her eyes.
I remembered.
She had been crying after another failed treatment.
I hugged her and said:
“If pregnancy were transferable, I’d do one for you.”
A joke.
Compassion.
Celeste had apparently converted it into permission.
Camille continued.
“Mom said later you were serious.”
“Did you ask me?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I was afraid you’d say no.”
There.
Everything.
“When did you learn I hadn’t agreed?”
“About two months ago.”
“And you continued.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She cried.
“I had already built everything around her.”
“Her?”
“The baby.”
“My baby.”
“Yes.”
No euphemism.
“What did you know about the forged signature?”
“I knew Mom was completing paperwork for you.”
“Did you know she was signing my name?”
Camille hesitated.
That hesitation mattered.
“I suspected.”
“Did you see her do it?”
“No.”
“Did you tell her not to?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted the papers to be real.”
There.
Complicity without needing direct forgery.
Then Stellan spoke.
“Did you plan to take the baby home from the hospital?”
Camille looked at him.
“Yes.”
He recoiled as if she struck him.
“Without Arden?”
“Mom said Arden would stay with you to recover.”
“That makes no sense.”
“I know now.”
“No. You knew then.”
Camille cried harder.
“I knew it didn’t make sense. I kept not looking directly at that.”
Stellan stood.
Walked to the window.
I understood.
He was seeing his own failure in hers.
Same family skill.
Avoid looking directly at what would require conflict.
Then I asked:
“What was the other problem?”
Camille looked confused.
“Mom’s letter said my pregnancy could solve both problems.”
She went still.
Then:
“The house.”
“Only the house?”
“No.”
“What else?”
Camille looked at her lawyer.
He nodded slightly.
“There is a family governance review after the first grandchild is born.”
My pulse changed.
“What governance review?”
“I don’t know all the terms.”
Stellan turned.
“You know enough.”
Camille whispered:
“Mom loses authority.”
There.
Another layer.
“How much authority?”
“I don’t know.”
“When?”
“When the baby is born.”
“Why?”
“Our father’s trust.”
Stellan stared.
“What trust?”
Camille looked at him.
“You really don’t know?”
That question frightened both of us.
May you like
Celeste had not only been planning around our child.
She had been hiding what the child’s birth would change.
